There’s a thief in the night that can rob person’s of sleep, health, life…

Have you ever lost a night’s sleep? You feel exhausted, unable to concentrate, and completely worn out. Just imagine what a nightmare it would be if every night was like that.

For a young girl called Harveen Bedi, this was reality – simply because she has asthma. Most people don’t think asthma is serious, but Harveen’s story is one of real determination to overcome the constant fear that her asthma could kill her. Asthma UK was able to help end Harveen’s nightmare. Though she coped during the day, Harveen’s asthma attacks were most devastating at night. “Night-time was terrifying”, Harveen said. “I couldn’t sleep, I was wheezy, and I struggled to breathe. It felt like I was going to die. Sometimes I’d try to scream because I was so frightened.”

At night, Harveen’s mother, was afraid to sleep in case her daughter needed her. Fearful that the terrible asthma attacks could kill Harveen, her mother was forced to call on the ambulance services again and again to take her little girl to hospital. Harveen was permanently exhausted and, with so many hospital visits, she missed nearly all of years five and six at primary school. For the whole family these were very stressful years.

How Asthma UK helped bring an end to Harveen’s nightmare

The nightmare Harveen and her mother had endured for so long started to ease in 2011. An Asthma UK funded nurse fought for Harveen to be referred to a specialist centre where she received optimised asthma treatment. With continuous support from Asthma UK’s nurses, Harveen also used a My Asthma Packto help her log her symptoms. Soon Harveen’s nights were less disturbed and, for the first time, she began to take steps to control her asthma. As a result, Harveen spent less time in hospital. Now 14 years old, she loves going to school. “I can join in all the activities”, she said proudly. “I can even run around without needing my inhaler, and I’m catching up on my lessons.”

By making a gift of £20 you help us end the nightmare for other children like Harveen.

Like a thief in the night, asthma can rob children of sleep, of education, of health, and tragically, sometimes their lives. At Asthma UK we’re determined to do everything possible to bring this nightmare to an end by funding research for better treatments and providing people with life-saving information.

Making a gift of £20 today pays for Asthma UK to provide a child with a My Asthma Pack. This is a fun and effective way for children to keep regular track of their symptoms and helps them understand what they can do when their asthma gets worse and ultimately reduces hospitalisation.

Asthma UK has also actively campaigned for the National Review of Asthma Deaths, the most comprehensive global study into what needs to be done to reduce deaths. Tragically, it found that nearly half of all asthma deaths could have been prevented with better healthcare and that 77% of people who died didn’t have an asthma action plan which tells how to recognise the signs of an asthma attack. The findings are a huge wake-up call and confirm that a great deal more needs to be done to protect children at risk of a fatal asthma attack.

Your support really matters. That’s why I hope you will send a gift of £20 to Asthma UK and help transforming a child’s life. Only with your help today can the nightmare of severe asthma attacks can be brought to an end.